Morgan Rice: Vowed

As Caitlin flew, holding Caleb’s hand, she reflected on their whirlwind journey through Scotland. Dunvegan Castle, Skye, Eilean Donan, Rosslyn Chapel… She kept seeing in her mind’s eye that huge, ancient Bible in the crypts of Rosslyn, kept seeing the image of the shield as the two pages became one. The clue had been so well guarded and protected, each place offering just the smallest hint of where to go. But now it was all finally coming together, and Caitlin felt for certain that this was the final stop.

After hours of flying, the landscape finally changed, as they flew along the edge of the Scottish coast. And as they rounded a bend, a castle came into view, one that Caitlin knew could only be Dunnottar.

The site took Caitlin’s breath away. She had never seen anything like it: it was the most remote and picturesque castle she had ever seen. Built on the very edge of a cliff which dropped hundreds of feet straight down to the ocean, the castle sat proudly at the edge of a small, green island, soaring high up in the air, partially in the clouds, as if reaching for heaven itself. The small island, just big enough to hold the castle, was connected to the mainland only by a narrow strip of land. It was the most well defended site Caitlin had ever seen. Surrounded by steep cliffs and water on all sides, no one could dare approach it. The only other way in or out was a narrow strip of land connecting it to the mainland, a bottleneck, easily defendable, with sharp cliffs dropping off on either side.

Dunnottar castle itself was a beautiful, sprawling piece of architecture, with round parapets and a large, quadrangular inner courtyard. Partially hidden in mist, it looked like something out of one of Caitlin’s dreams. It was a mystical, magical place, and if there was anything powerful left to be found, clearly this was the place to find it.

Caitlin looked at Caleb, and could see he was equally impressed by the sight. They circled again and again, taking it all in from above, getting a bird’s eye view. No matter how many times she circled it, Caitlin was awestruck, from every angle.

As they tried flying closer, Caitlin felt an invisible shield keeping them at bay. Clearly, vampires could not fly directly into the castle, or even onto the island itself; they would have to land on the mainland, and walk across the narrow strip of land. This must be, Caitlin realized, a very well-defended vampire fortress. She only hoped that the vampires here were friendly.

Caitlin and Caleb landed at the base of the long strip of land leading to the island. Covered in slippery moss, freshly wet from the spray of ocean waves, and with steep cliffs falling off on either side, they held each other’s hands as they walked, careful not to slip. The sound of the ocean waves crashing far below was overpowering, and Caitlin could feel the spray in the wind.

As they approached, on foot, the castle looked even more imposing. Caitlin couldn’t spot anyone. This place seemed to be completely, eerily, deserted.

But she knew they were in the right place. She felt it. There was no other place they could possibly be. She could feel the three other keys throbbing in her pocket, and she knew they were guiding her, telling her that she was about to have the fourth.

Caitlin and Caleb crossed the land just as the sun was beginning to set, covering the sky in pink and red. It was a staggeringly beautiful site, and Caitlin felt as if she were on top of the world. She was on guard the entire time she crossed, ready for an ambush. Luckily, none came.

They finished crossing, and stood on the small island, before the castle. Together, they approached the imposing, ancient stone wall, walking right up to the massive wooden door. The door must have stood fifty feet high, dwarfing them. Caitlin looked up at the huge metal knocker, then looked to Caleb.

He nodded back.

“If they are for us, they will answer,” Caleb said. “If not, they will know we’re here anyway.”

Caitlin agreed silently, and was about to reach up and grab the ring.

But at just that moment, something caught her eye, something in the distance. At first, she thought she was imagining it. But then, she turned her head and looked more carefully.

There, down in the distance, hundreds of feet below, bobbing in the water, was something. Caitlin felt sure of it.

She turned and walked to the edge of the cliff, looking down, shielding her eyes from the glare. Caleb came up beside her, slipping his arm around her waist.

“What is it?” he asked.

At first, Caitlin sensed more than saw something, but finally, something came into view. There, in the distance, bobbing in the ocean waves. A small boat. Like a rowboat, with a small sail.

Caitlin’s heart stopped. Every pore in her body told her who was in that boat.

Scarlet.

Without hesitating, Caitlin jumped and dove straight down off the cliff, hoping her wings would take. She plummeted to earth at a thousand miles an hour, and, at the last second, her wings finally took, and she soared in a clean arc, gliding right out to sea, Caleb right behind her.

Without pausing, Caitlin swooped down, picked up Scarlet, held her in her arms, and continued to fly. Right behind her, Caleb scooped up Ruth.

Caitlin hugged Scarlet tightly, and she hugged her back; as she did, Caitlin could feel her shaking over her shoulder. The child was definitely shaken up, and Caitlin had absolutely no idea what she was doing out there, alone, in the middle of the ocean. Why was she in the boat, by herself, the middle of the sea? And heading towards her? How was it possible? Especially after Polly and Sam had vowed that they would watch over her?

Suddenly, Caitlin was overcome with dread, as she realized there was no possible way they would have left her alone, have set her out to sea, unless something terrible had happened to them. But what?

They flew up the cliff, landing back where they had started, right before the entrance to the castle. Caitlin set Scarlet down, as Caleb set Ruth down, and Caitlin brushed the hair out of Scarlet’s eyes, trying to calm her as she cried.

Caitlin knelt down, leaned in and kissed her on her forehead.

“Shhh,” Caitlin whispered, stroking her hair. “It’s all right. Everything is all right now. Tell Mommy what happened.”

“He put me in a boat,” Scarlet began, crying, “with Ruth. I wanted to stay and fight. But he said I had to go. Then he pushed the boat into the ocean. He said it would take me to you.”

“Who?” Caitlin asked, confused.

But Scarlet began crying again, and only held out her little fist, as if to hand her something. Caitlin reached out, and Scarlet dropped a small piece of sea glass into her hand.

Caleb was at first puzzled – and then she realized. There was only one person in the world who would have given her this glass.

“He told me to tell you that he loves you,” Scarlet added.

Caitlin felt as if a knife had plunged into her heart. Blake. He had saved Scarlet. He had put her in the boat, sent her off. She felt more indebted to him than she ever had.

But saved Scarlet from what? That was the question.

“From an army,” came the voice, answering her silent question.

Caitlin stood and spun, as did Caleb, and was shocked to see, standing a few feet away, Aiden. He stood there, his back against the open sky, wearing his white robe, holding his staff, and staring at her with grave concern. As always, he had appeared at the most uncanny moment.

“What army?” Caitlin asked, feeling terribly guilty already that she had left, that she hadn’t been there to help protect Scarlet, Polly, her brother and whoever else.

“It was Kyle’s work. And Rynd’s. And Sera’s. They sabotaged and surprised our people. There was little they could do.”